-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Saturday 's World Cup downhill race in Bormio ended in a thrilling dead heat as Aksel Lund Svindal extended his overall lead despite narrowly missing out on a three-way share of victory .

The Norwegian had to settle for third place after finishing just 0.01 seconds behind Austria 's Hannes Reichelt and Italy 's Dominik Paris -- who delighted the home crowd by claiming his first World Cup win .

`` It 's amazing , it was my dream to win a downhill in the World Cup -- and now I finally won it , '' said the 23-year-old , who finished third at his national championships in March .

`` Tying with Reichelt does n't make any difference -- I am only happy to be on top . I was very nervous in the leader box because I knew the others behind will ski well , but it turned out good .

`` It is totally amazing to win here in Bormio , I ca n't say anything just that it was a dream come true . ''

Reichelt also set a time of one minute 58.62 seconds as he claimed the fifth World Cup win of his career and his second podium this season after placing third in the Super G at Beaver Creek in the U.S. at the start of December .

`` I feel like I am back in downhill because my last races were really bad , but I felt confident today , '' the 32-year-old said .

`` I think equipment today was very important because if the skies are stable on this bumpy slope it helps you to ski fast . During the Christmas break we did a good job , I did a lot of testing and now I can say I am on the right wave back . The year is ending really , really nice . ''

Svindal earned his first podium finish at Bormio , which is considered one of the most testing courses on the World Cup circuit .

He finished 0.01 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Austrian Klaus Kroll , who was the World Cup downhill champion last season .

`` It 's crazy , four guys within two-hundredths on one of the toughest downhills in the world , '' said Svindal , who leads the downhill standings by 92 points from Paris and has a 114-point advantage in the overall competition .

He now has a record-equaling six podium positions before New Year , matching the mark set by Austria 's Michael Walchhofer in 2004-05 .

`` I ca n't remember a race exactly this close . But as a ski racer you almost get used to it , it 's actually kind of crazy like that , '' Svindal said .

`` For sure there is that one mistake at the bottom that I wish I had back , but that 's ski racing . As long as you are fighting for the win like I am today , sometimes you get it and sometimes you do n't . But racing is a lot of fun when you are in that position . ''

Meanwhile , Veronika Zuzulova had a comparatively more comfortable victory in the women 's slalom in Semmering , Austria , as she won her first World Cup race .

The Slovakian was 0.10 seconds ahead of home hope Kathrin Zettel over the two runs , while Tina Maze extended her overall World Cup lead with her 11th podium in 16 starts .

The Slovenian , who was fastest in the first run , now has a 427-point advantage over Germany 's Maria Hofl-Riesch , who placed fourth .

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Hannes Reichelt and Dominik Paris share first place in men 's World Cup downhill race

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Aksel Lund Svindal extends his overall lead after finishing only 0.01 seconds back in third

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Svindal was just 0.01 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Klaus Kroll , last season 's downhill champion

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Italian skier Paris wins the first World Cup event of his career to delight the home crowd